C.Crane Apologizes for Delays with the CCRadio-EP

 

Thanks, Doug T:

FYI: C. Crane apologizes for further delays with CCRadio-EP and promises to be more transparent in the future.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/ccrane/for-our-ccradio-ep-customers/10150132019803696

"To all of our CCRadio-EP customers, I sincerely apologize for the delay of delivery of the CCRadio-EP. An optimistic delivery date is not realistic with any new product. We will be more realistic in the future about new products. We will have a new development diary to become more transparent as to the progress of a new product we plan in the future. Thank you for your patience and your trust you have extended C. Crane. The first container has arrived in port, we have cleared customs and we should get them in about one week. Robert C. Crane"

Comments

[Ed S.]

Would be a shame if they miss the Christmas-shopping window. They could have sold a few boatloads.

[Barry]

Based on Mr. Crane's apology, I re-ordered the radio as a Christmas gift to myself (which means by Christmas!!). I also ordered based on his comment that the first container was in port and had cleared customs. No more Delays!! Hopefully a lesson has been learned.

[Steve]

Nice to see an unequivocal apology -- those are rare!

I will be ordering one of these eventually. Can't beat a good no-frills AM/FM radio. Hard to justify it right now though, as I just dropped $70 on a Sony ICF-9580W (I love the sound of those 1970's wooden tabletop units.)

Looking forward to reading reviews of the EP once they start shipping out.

[Richard Berler]

Early impressions on the Crane EP: Daytime-

Sensitivity is very similar to the Sangean PR-D5. On the lower part of the band (below perhaps 1000 KHz), it may be a hair more sensitive. The sound on narrow (labled news) is fine; not as muddied as I feared. The twin coil tuning does have an impact. That said, only a small amount of tweaking is necessary to peak signals. There is a big bad, however: above about 1300 KHz, even on narrow, the radio is a chaotic mish mash of mixing products from our locals on 1300,1340,1370,1410,1490, and 1550. It is impossible to find some weak signals on the EP in this mess that are listenable on the PR-D5, and cleaner yet on the SONY ICF-S5W (the SONY ICF-EX5 has some hets and mixing products during the daytime around 1460 and 1560-1600) where no hets are found (except around 1620). Both the S5W and EX5 have an image of our 890 local on 870. Below 1300, the EP is rather well behaved, and selectivity is similar to the PR-D5 (can usually hear stations 10 KHz away from a local when nulling). Below 1300, locals are on 1090,1000,960, 890, and 790.

Nighttime-

With the locals at reduced power (and 1370 off air), the EP does better on the 1300+ part of dial, but still cannot discern 1500,1510,1520,1530 while the PR-D5 can (with some mixing products) The S5W and EX5 hears these frequencies sharply and cleanly (their coverage ends, HOWEVER, at about 1630-1640).

The speaker is good, the dial lighting is great at night...kind of a neat retro look!

While I may keep the set, and while I still wish to test it a bit more, I can say that it isn't the magic set that I was hoping for...The SONY ICF-S5W, and from what I read, the Panasonic RF-2200 are as sensitive, more selective, and freer from hets and mixing products in an urban jungle.

Further testing supports the terrible behavior of the EP above 1300 KHz in my particular urban rf environment. Below 1300 KHz, (in my particular setting) the set is quite good. I actually like the sound on narrow (similar to GRUNDIG 350 on narrow, but much better sensitivity). The retro night light is great. I would imagine that away from the locals, i.e, maybe 5 or 10 miles out of town, the EP would be much better across the dial. In a more rural setting, I would expect this to be a real winner. The fine tuning of the twin coil is almost always best in it's default setting...users, dxer's don't have to expect the need to fiddle around with it as one tunes, even from one end of the dial to the other end (I do like knowing that it can be fiddled with, however!). The user's guide give selectivity as 6 KHz and 4 KHz, and am sensitivity as 0.2 mV!

[Jerry]

Dear Mr. Crane:

Thank you so much for your apology. I readily understand trying to produce products overseas, especially in China, can be difficult. I can see how communications can get crossed, and production and delivery timelines delayed. This is not your fault.

While it is frustrating for us consumers to go through the rollercoaster of highs and lows anticipating delivery of your new products, we understand delivering a finished product at a reasonable cost can be difficult.

No apology is neccessary. Just send me one free CCRadio-EP and one black CCRadio-2, and everything will be fine.

Best wishes to you, your family and everyone at the C.Crane Company for the holidays.

Kindest regards,

Jerry

[S Patrick]

A very good apology that was needed. CCrane fully deserved the bombs that were hurled toward them. At least they are listening. Maybe they should give a coupon to those who pre-ordered this radio for a future purchase. Your apology is accepted and I may do business with CCrane at sometime.

Now Universal Radio's turn..... They should follow suit on an apology for the "vapor-ware perhaps" Grundig 450. Since Grundig themselves haven't even talked about the 450, the blame for the 450 goes right on the shoulders of Universal Radio. Universal radio even took money months ago for this radio, that hasn't surfaced yet and not expected to for a while.

[Ken K.]

(I just dropped $70 on a Sony ICF-9580W (I love the sound of those 1970's wooden tabletop units.)

Steve, how is that radio? From what I've read it's pretty much the Top of the line as far as 70's wooden tabletop radios. I've been watching them on Ebay from time to time, but I don't want to sink any money on one without getting some good feedback. Thanks.

If I get one it will replace my Horizon Solo in the living room, I'm done with it...